Internal-combustion engine



7 Jan. 3, 1928. 1,654,891

w. MCFARLANE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE ed Dec. 22, 1925 5 sheets -sheeu l Jan. 3, 1928.

W. M FARLANE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Dec. 22. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 3, 1928.

1,654,891 w. MOFARLANE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Dec. 22. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 W. M FARLANE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Jan. 3, 1928a 5 Shet-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 22, 1925 Patented Jan. 3, 1928.

UNITED STA WILSON MC'FARLANE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed December 22,, 1925. Serial No. 77,026.

' This invention has to do generally with internal combustion engines, and is more par ticu-larly concerned with that type of engine wherein rotary pistons areemployed.

It is' the general object of the invention to provide an engine of high efficiency and to this end I have devised a novel association and combination of elements, but I will here discuss only briefly certain outstanding novel features since most of, the novelty may be more clearly presented as the detailed description progresses.

I employ a mult'p-le piston rotor, one of the novel features of which lies in the provision of a plurality of spaced, movable connecting means between the rotor body and each piston. As a given piston passes a given point, one of the connecting means between the rotor and that piston is freed from engagement with the piston,'returning to engagement as soon as it has passed the given point so the following connecting means may be freed from the piston without at any time leaving the rotor and piston entirely disconnected. The rotor body and pistons are annularly spaced so, by' reason of this provision of movable connector, I am. enabled to move a sliding abutment (which, in the illustrated embodiment, is

a sleeve) clear across the cylinder at saidgiven point and into engagement with a stationary element located in the annular spac ing between the rotor body and piston. This in contra-distinction to the usual type of rotary engine wherein the sliding abutment is thrustinto end bearing with the peripheral face of the rotor body with the result that the wear between abutment and rotor rapidly develops to such an extent that compres sion cannot be held and the efficiency of the motor apidly drops.

On the other hand,'by my arrangement, there is no necessity for wearing contact between rotor and alguitment, and the wear between the abutment and cylinder casing is negligible.

In order that the pistons may be held from displacement while passing the cylinder wall aperture through which the abutment reciprocates, I provide a slidable closure or track member which is projected acrossthis aperture when the abutment is withdrawn. The slide. whenin operative position, also forms a wall at the end of the abutment sleeve during the inspiration of the charge, the charge being drawn into the sleeve for subsequent and slide. The compressing piston also acts as a movable end for the explosion chamber,

takingthe reaction of the explosion and transmittinga certain degree of useful force to its crank-shaftand hence to the rotor shaft to which said crank-shaft is connected by the gear train.

There is but little relative longitudinal movement between the abutment sleeve. and its enclosed compressing piston, since the sleeve is moving to and frolongitudinally during reciprocation of said piston. The actual linear stroke of the compressing piston may therefore be exceptionally long and rapid without there being unduewear between it andits sleeve. As a consequence, the stroke of the compressing piston'may be high as compared to the speed of the-rotary pistons, a condition which is very desirable, as will hereinafter be made apparent. Other objects and novel features of the invention will be set forth in the following detailed description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in broken away section, of an engine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal medial section on line 22 of Figrl;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4; is a section on line iel of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a section on line 5--5. of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-'5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a section on irregular line 66 of Fig. 1; and l Figs. 7 to 12, inclusive, are diagrammaticvlews which lllustrate the relat1ve posltions of theparts during difierent stages of a. cycle of operation.

Main casting 10 1s made up 'of two shells 11 and 12 bolted together along their marginal flanges 13 at 14. The casting may be considered as being made up of cylinder portion 15, crank case 16, and intermediate, connecting portion 17, which latter houses the gas compressing element-s. Portion 15 and casing. 16 have foot or base flanges 15 for support on and attachment to underlying structure or foundation (not shown).

Rotor shaft 18 is journaled at 18 in portion 15, while crank=shaft 19 is journaled in three rotary pistons A. which are associated with rotor shaft 18. Of course, where there are fewer or more rotary pistons, the gear ratio will be changed accordingly. I will consider shaft 18 as the power shaft, though it will hereinafter be made apparent that shaft 19 may also deliver power.

Cylinder portion defines concentric annular cylinder bore and rotor compartment 26, the latter accommodating rotor the bore and compartment.

disk 27, there being an annular passageway 28 between and in communication with both Bore 25, and pistons A therein, are of circular transverse cross section, and the pistons may be provided with packing or rings 29 to insure a tight fit.

It is one of the novel features of my device to provide means whereby a barrier may be projected entirely across bore 25 and into overlapping relation with a surface beyond the inner periphery of the bore, this barrier being adapted to engage one of the walls which isolates a portion of the cylinder bore during certain stages of operation. It is'within this isolated portion or chamber that the explosion takes place. By providing the sealing surface between the barrier and the stationaryportion of the engine in this manner and of this nature (in contradistinction to the usual construction where a barrier is moved transversely across the bore and into end contact with the periphcry of the rotor, with resulting excessive wear and rapid loss of efiiciency) there is very little wear on the barrier or the complementary sealing surface; and a tight joint may be preserved therebetween indefinitely, to obvious advantage.

However, the provision of a stationary sealing member between the rotor shaft and the inner side of the cylinder, presents certain inherent and peculiar problems, for the sealing member would ordinarily intercept the connecting elements between the shafts and pistons and prevent operation. I have overcome these problems in the manner outlined below. I Sealing member 30 is in the form of a cylindrical plug having a force fit within casing 10 and having an arcuate passageway 31 therethroug'h which 1s complementary to the cylinder bore. The plug is of sufficient diameter to bring its lower portion. 82 into annular passageway 28, and approximately tangential with respect to rotor 27.

A barrier, preferably in the form of sleeve S is mounted for longitudinal reciprocation through horizontal bore 38 in casting portion 17, said bore opening to cylinder bore 25 at 35. The sleeve is adapted periodically to traverse the cylinder bore at this point and is axially alined with plug The sleeve is of such diameter that (when it is near the limit of its stroke to the left, as viewed in Fig. 2) it may slip over or be moved into telescopic relation with the end of the plug, casting 10 being cut away at 35 around the plug to provide a socket for receiving the sleeve end. The sleeve has a snug sliding fit around the plug end, especially at portion 32, (and it may carry packing or rings 36 to insure a tight fit) and it will be seen that it overlaps the sealing member for a considerable distance 111-" wardly from the inner periphery of the cylinder defining wall of the casting. The sleeve, when thus pro ected, forms a barr er across the cylinder bore and providesthe annular wall of explosion chamber E, the" For the time being, I will disregard the;

mechanism for reciprocating sleeve S and piston P but it will be assured that the sleeve and piston have been moved to the position illustrated in Fig. 2.

Pistons A have spaced sockets 38 at their forward and rear ends, the rearward sockets being provided in noses 38 which extend ahead of the fiat faces 39 of the pistons. These sockets are for the reception of connectin arms 40 which'are longitudinally slidable through ways e1 in rotor 27, said ways extending substantially radially. The arms are controlled in their longitudinal movement by rollers 42 which are journaled on laterally extending stub shafts 43,.as clearly shown in Fig. 5, and are adapted to roll through cam groove 4A- in stationary portion 15 when theshaft and rotor are revolved.

Groove 44 is concentric with rotor 27 throughout the major portion of its extent and consequently arms 4-0 are held in operative engagement with pistons A throughout the major extent of their angularmovenient. However, groove 4% has a .dip at 45,

approximately opposite sealing member 82,

1 so when a gwen arm approaches this portion it is drawn, inwardly sufiiciently to clear. However, the arm at the forward end of a given piston is returned to operative connection with said piston before the rearward arm has been retracted, so, when the piston.

is passing sealing member 32, there is always at least one arm operatively connecting the piston and rotor. 1 I

From the end of plug 30 at opposite sides of the orifice or mouth of passageway 31, are guide lugs 46 (Figs. 2 and 5) which aid in guiding pistons A as they pass opening 34 during certain stages of operation. The end of piston P has sockets 47 for the reception of these lugs when the piston is near and atthe end of its compression stroke.

Piston P is connected by rod 48 to counterbalanced crank 49 on shaft 19; while sleeve S is connected to crank 50, on this shaft, by rod 51 (Figs. 1 and 3). The connection between the sleeve and rod is made through a sleeve-carried pin 52 which extends through bearing 53 at the end of the rod and into slide block 54 whichis slidably mounted within way 55. I

It will be noted that cranks 49 and 50 areangularly spaced, with'rod 50 in advance, and that crank 49 is somewhat longer than crank 50. Piston .P, therefore, has only a speed, relative to the, sleeve, of the ratio of the length of crank 49 to the length of crank 50, or, aboutone-half its actual linear speed. This relative speed permits the true stroke of the piston to be comparatively long, and gives it a very high speed compared with the rotary speed of pistons A. By virtue of its high comparative speed, piston P is able to get close to agiven piston A to compress the gas therebetween. The crank 49 for the compressing piston will be close to dead center before the pistons speed is reduced suffi ciently to be substantially equal to that of the given rotary piston, approximately at which time the explosion of the compressed gases is caused to occur by spark plug 56. However, this period of equal piston speed may occur when crank 49 is more than 15 from dead center and explosion occurring at this time tends to check the continued forward advance of piston P; the momentum and power behind piston P (as transmitted to it from .piston A through shaft 18, the gear train, shaft 19 and crank 49) carries crank 49 over dead center. After it passes dead center, the expansive action of the exploded charge cause a delivery of power to shaft 19 through piston P, rod 48 and crank 49.

Plug 56 may be fired inany suitable man ner. For instance timer 57 operated by shaft 18 through gear train 58, maybe in circuit with plug 56 and source 59 of electricity, the timer being arranged to fire the charge in chamber E as each of the rotary pistons comes into proper position.

' The gas inlet to bore 33 and hence to the forward end of sleeve S, is indicated at 60 in Fig. 6, thisinlet opening from chamber 61 in portion 17 of casting 10. Valved port 62 forms a communication between chambers 61 and 63, the latter having an opening 64 which is adapted to be in communication with a'carburetor (not shown).

Valve 65 is normally held by spring 66 in a position to close port 62, the stem 65 of the valve having a head 67 arranged exteriorly of chamber 63. A lever 68 is pivoted at 69, intermediate its ends, to casing 10, one end of the lever being forked at 7 O to take stem 66, and the other end 71 extending into'contact with the end 72 of push or tappet rod 73. A cam 74 on shaft- 19 is adapted, at proper intervals, to thrust rod 73 (which rod 18 mounted for longitudinal reciprocation in, guides 7 5 on casting 10) to the left as viewed in Figs. 2 and 6, and thereby open valve 65' against the action of spring 66, admitting a charge of gas to the bore of sleeve S. When the high point of cam 74 passes from beneath rod 73, spring 66 acts to close valve 65 and to return lever 68 and rod 73 to normal. A slide is adapted to be projected periodically across bore 33 in front of sleeve S and piston P, this slide bein r adapted to form one wall of the gas inlet chamber otherwise defined by this sleeve and the end of piston P, to provide a guide or track for pistons A as they pass opening 34, and to keep exhaust gas out of sleeve S.

Slide WV is a flat member arranged at an angle with both the longitudinal and transverse axis of the sleeve, and has side tongues 7 6 adapted to slide through ways 77 in guides 78 on casting 10. Slide W is periodically reciprocated longitudinally by the following'me'chanism. A link 79 connectsthe slide to one end of crank arm 80 on shaft 81, this shaft being mounted foroscillation in bearing 82 on casting 10 and carrying at its other endlacrank arm 83. Rod 84 is pivotally connected to crank 83 and is adapted to slide longitudinallythrough a guideblock 85 which has an integral pin 86 whereby it is pivotally connected to casting 10. The pivotal mounting of the block permits the requisite angular movement of the rod. The

end of the rod has a member 87 from which extends a. stub shaft 88 carrying roller 89. this roller being adapted to roll through cam groove 90 in disk 91 on shaft 19. The major extent 91 of groove 90 is concentric with shaft 19 and, while the roller is in this extent, rod 84 holds slide W in the fully elevated position of Fig. 2. Groove 90 has a drop portion at 92. a portion at 93 concentric with shaft 19, and alift portion at As roller 89 drops through portion 92, rod 84 is drawn to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, swinging cranks 83 and 80 in a counterclockwise direction and thus projecting slide Vi across bore 33, where it is held as long as roller 89 is in groove portion 93. As the rol er travels through groove portion 94, the slide is returned to the position of Fig. 1, as will be readily understood. 7

All the parts are relatively arranged ap-' proximately as shown in. the drawings, and I will therefore proceed to a description of the cycular operation of the engine, referring for this purpose to diagrammatic Figs. 7 to 12, inclusive. r

Fig. 7 shows the parts approximately in the condition of Fig. 2, at which time explosion 01. the charge within chamber E is about to occur, piston A thrusting out through exhaust port the exhaust gases from the immediateiy preceding explosion. When the explosion occurs, piston A is driven in the directionof the arrows, imparting, through arms a0, rotary "-iovcment to rotor 27 and shaft 18 and thereby causing operation of shaft 19 and its associated mechanism. Sleeve S and piston P start back to clear the way for piston A as shown in Fig. 8, and then slide W starts down, as shown in Fig. 9, to'guide and support piston A as it reaches opening 34 at the intersection of bores 25 and 33. The slide, when it is down as in Fig. 10, also forms a wall of gas chamber G, formed by sleeve S, (and the slide stays full down for a short period, as explained above) and as the piston P approaches the endof its stroke (Fig. 10) cam 74 operates the inlet valve 65 to admit a charge of gas to chamber G, the charge being drawn in by further movement of piston P or being forced in under pressure by means not here shown.

As the sleeve S starts back (Fig. 11) slide V is retracted to clear the Way, and a little later piston P starts on its return or com pression stroke (Fig. 12). The piston moves forward faster than thesleeve, butthe sleeve is of such length and has advanced initially to such an extent that it projected across bore 25 and into partial overlap with sealing member 32 before piston P has compressed the The sleeve travels much faster than does piston A, and overtakes it as its rearward end enters plug passageway 81.

The cycle is then repeated, the next explosion taking place approximately when pistons P and A are traveling at the same speed, as explained above.

It will be understood the drawings and description are tobe considered merely as illustrative of and not restrictive on the broader claims appended hereto, for various changes in design, structure and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of said claims.

I claim:

1. In an internal. combustion engine, the

combination of a cylinder having an annular bore, a rotor concentric with said here and annularly spaced therefrom, a stationary sealing member in the annular space thus defined, a. piston in the cylinder, a plurality of members releasably connecting the rotor and piston and withdrawably extending through said annular space, and means adapted to with draw each of said connecting members from the piston and space prior to its reaching said sealing member during rotation of the rotor, and to project the given connecting member across the space and into connection with the piston after the given connecting member has passed the sealing member; a least one of said connecting members always being in operative connection with the piston.

2. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder having an annular bore, a rotor concentric with said borea-nd annularly spaced therefrom, a stationary sealingmember in the annular space thus defined, a piston in the cylinder, a plurality of members releasably connecting the rotor and piston and withdrawably extending through said annular space, and cam means adapted to withdraw each of said connecting memiers from the piston and space prior to its reaching said sealing member during rota-- tion of the rotor and to project the given connecting member across-the space and into connection with the piston after the given connecting member has passed the sealing member; at least one of said connecting members always being in operative connection with the piston.

8. In an internal combustion engine,the combination of a cylinder having an annular bore, a rotor concentric with said bore and annularly spaced therefrom, a stationary sealing member in the annular spacethus defined, a piston in the cylinder, a plurality of members releasably connecting the-rotor and piston and withdrawably extending through said annular. space, and means adapted to withdraw each of said connecting members from the piston and space prior to its reaching said sealing member during rotation of the rotor and to project the given connecting member across the space 'and into connection with the piston after the given connect-mg member has passed the lar bore, a rotor concentric with said bore 1 and annularly spaced therefrom, a stationary sealing member in the annular space thus defined, av piston in the cylinder. a plurality of members releasably connecting the rotor andpiston and withdrawably eXtending through said annular. space, means adapted to withdraw each ofsai'd connectmg members from the piston and space prior to its reaching sald sealing member during rotation of the rotor and to project the given connecting member across the space and into connection with the piston after the given connecting member has passed the sealing member; at least one of said connecting members always'being in operative connection with the piston, and a reciprocatory abutment adapted-to be proing members from the piston and space prior to its reaching said sealing member during rotation of the rotor, and to pro ect the glven connecting member across thespace and into connection with the piston after the given connecting member has passed the sealing member; at least one or said connecting members always being in operative,

connection. with the piston, a tubular reciproca tory abutment adapted to be projected periodically across the cylinder bore and annular space and into sealing engagement with said sealing member, a' reciprocatory piston within the bore of the abutment, and operative connections between the rotor; reciprocatory piston and abutment whereby rotation of the rotor imparts coincident reciprocatory movement to the reciprocatory piston and abutment. I

6. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder having an annular bore and another cylinderhaving a cylindrical bore which is substantiallytangential to and opens into said annular bore, a rotor concentric with said annular bore, a piston in said annular bore and operatively connected to said rotor, a longitudinally reciprocatory tubular abutment in the cylindrical bore and adapted to be projected periodically across the annular bore, a longitudinally 'reciprocatory piston within the abutment bore, means for reciprocating the abutment and reciprocatory piston, a slide member adapted to be projected across the cylindrical bore when the abutment is retractedfrom the annular bore; 'and'means for projecting and retracting. said slide member.

7; In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder having anannular bore and another cylinder having a cylindrical bore which is substantially tangential to and opens into said annular bore, a rotor concentric with said annular bore, a piston in said annular bore and operatively connected to said rotor, a longitudinally reciprocatory 'tuibular abutment in the cylin drica-l bore and adapted to be projected periodically across the annular bore, a longitudinally reciprocatory piston within the abutment bore, means for reciprocating the abutment and the reciprocatory piston, a slide memberadapted to be projected across the, cylindrical bore when the abutment is retracted froin' vthe annular bore, and means for projecting and retracting said slide member; the point at which said slide memberis projected across said cylindrical bore being located approximately where said bore openstothe annular bore, whereby, when the slide member is projected, it provides a guide for the rotor piston in its rotation.v

8. In an internal combustion engine, the;

combination of a cylinder having an annular bore, a piston in the bore, a rotor concentric with said bore and dri-vingly connected to thepiston, said rotor being annularly spaced from said bore, a stationaryv sealing member in the annular space thusdefined, and a reciprocating abutment adapted to beiprojected periodically across the cylinder bore into sealing engagement with saidsealingmeinber.

9. In an internal combustion engin-e,-th-e; combination of a cylinder having an annular bore, a piston in the bore, a rotor con-centric with1 said borea-nd drivingly connected to. the piston, said rotor being annularly spaced from said bore, a stationary sealing nei-nberprojecting into the annular space thus defined, and a tubular reciprocatoryabutment adapted to be projected periodically across the cylinder bore into telescopic relation with the sealing member. 7

10. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder having an annular bore, a piston in the bore, a rotor concentric with said bore and drivingly connected to the piston, said rotor being annularly spaced from said bore, a tubular, stationary sealing elementhaving a portion extending into the annular space thus defined, the bore of said sealing member comprising, in eflect, a portion of said annular cylinder bore, a tubular reciprocatory abutment in alinement with an exposed end of the sealing member, said.

to be projected periodically across the cyllinder bore from one side to the other, and

- the piston. a reciprocatory abutment adapted,

a stationary sealing member at said other side of the bore, said abutment being adapted to be moved into sealing engagement with the sealing member when it'is so projected.

12. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinderhaving an annular bore, a piston in the bore, a rotor concentric with the bore and drivingly connected to to be projected periodically across-the cylinder bore from one side to the other, and a stationary sealing member at said other side of the bore, saidabutment being adapted to' be moved into telescopic relation Withthe sealing member when it is so projected.

13. In an internal combustion engine, the

combination of a cylinder having an annular bore, a piston in the bore, a rotor concentric With the bore and drivingly connected to the piston, a tubular reciprocatory abutment adapted to be projected periodically across the cylinder bore from one side to the other,

ment adapted to be projected periodically across the cylinder bore from one side to the other, a stationary sealing member at said other sideof the bore, said abutment being adapted'to be moved into sealing engagement 'With the sealing member when it is so projected, and a slide member adapted to,

be projected between the sealing member and abutment When said abutment is out of engagement with the sealing member..

15. In an internal combustion engine, the combinatlon of a cylinder havmgan annular bore, a pistonin the bore, a rotor concentric with the bore and drivingly connected'to the piston, a reciprocatory abutment adapted to be projected periodically across the cylinder bore from one side to the other, means for reciprocating the abutment; a stationary sealing member at said other side of the bore,

said abutment being adaptedto be moved 3 into sealing engagement with the sealing member when it is so projected; a slide member adapted to be projected between'the seal-' ing member and abutmentwvhen saidabut ment is out of engagement with-the sealing member and means for projecting'and iretracting said slide member in time With the reciprocations of-said abutment.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 10th day of October, 1925. v 7

"WILSON M FARLANE- 

